The Hob
by Pikelet184
Summary: 'The Hob' is where you will find a collection of Everlark drabbles/one shots, that I originally wrote and posted on tumblr.
1. Do You Remember The Day

**Do You Remember The Day**

This was originally written for the tumblr prompt - 'Everlark and kids.'

Thank you Sponsormusings for beta-ing this piece.

Katniss first becomes aware that a new day is beginning when rays of early morning sunlight are streaming through their curtains, radiating soft light throughout their bedroom. There's a calm breeze making the curtains billow softly, and birds singing from somewhere outside. Immediately, she knows it's going to be a beautiful day and smiles in gratitude. The reassuring, steady rhythm underneath her ear begins to shift and she hears a stifled yawn. Lifting her head off the solid chest she had been resting on, she catches her husband looking down at her with a smile and bleary eyes. "Good morning, beautiful," he whispers sleepily.

She smiles and leans over to give him a quick peck on the lips. "Happy 30th Birthday, Peeta."

His eyes widen. "That's right, it's my birthday today." He lets out a chuckle. "I've been so busy lately, I forgot."

"Well, you're an old man now, so you were bound to lose your mind eventually," she teases.

"Very funny, Mrs Mellark. But in case you've forgotten, I've already been there and done that at the sweet old age of seventeen." He lifts his head up to claim her soft pink lips; Katniss rolls herself on top of him, her hands drifting into his scruffy bed hair as she sinks further into the kiss. Their tongues meet and tease each other languidly, like they have all the time in the world – and in reality they do. The ability to talk and joke about the state of Peeta's mind, now that it's been over a decade, just proves how much they've recovered and healed since his mind was hijacked during the war.

"Can I have my present now?" he asks, and lowers his hands down to grip her ass, pushing his morning erection up against her covered core.

She breaks away and leans up on her hands. "I actually made something for you. I've been working on it all week."

His eyes brighten and suddenly he looks like an excited kid. "You made me a present?"

Katniss nods and gets up off the bed, heading towards a drawer where they keep some of their old Victory Tour clothes. After they'd come back home, they had wanted to throw out everything that reminded them of the horrors they'd gone through. But when the time came, Katniss couldn't get rid of the clothes – Cinna had made them especially for her, and that's all she had left of him. So she'd made a compromise with herself - she kept them, but packed them away so she didn't have to see them. The drawer that would usually be opened with a heavy heart was now a safe haven for Peeta's gift, a place where she feels her and Cinna are sharing an important secret between them. She can now look inside the drawer with a smile.

Sitting back on the bed, she gives him a handmade book. "You know I'm hopeless with wrapping."

He laughs and looks at the front cover. His eyes widen as he recognises the picture of them together. He had drawn it years ago, while they were celebrating their first wedding anniversary in the meadow. "Did you make me a book where I can keep my drawings?" he asks her curiously.

"No. It's a memory book. Like the other one we have," she explains.

He looks up at her with a wary expression.

"Relax, it's not that type of memory book." She helps him open the first page. "Reaching the age of thirty is a huge milestone for us, and since we've been home we've shared a lot of special and happy memories together. I wanted to remember them in honor of your birthday."

He lets out a relieved sigh and opens the book. "You had me worried there for a moment."

"Sorry," she apologises and ducks her head back down to look inside the book too. "Don't worry, this is a happy book. One that I think will become your favorite, even before all your precious cooking books."

"HA! Well if that's what you're aiming for, it's going to have to be pretty amazing to get that title. Are the pages filled with naked photos of yourself or something?"

Shaking her head in mock annoyance she utters out, "Just turn the page, old man."

With a pleased laugh, Peeta looks down at the first page. There's only one sentence, sprawled across the page in black ink and matching Katniss' handwriting.

 _Do you remember the day I made you your first birthday cake and I put salt into the mix instead of sugar? It was a disaster._

Peeta looks up at her with a grin. "I certainly do remember that and it wasn't a disaster. It was the best cake I've ever had."

"Peeta! That cake was disgusting and we both know it."

He moves his hand to cup the back of her neck, his thumb caressing her jaw. "I was so proud of you for making that cake," he tells her softly. "You hadn't gotten out of bed in days, and then suddenly I came home and you were making me a birthday cake. It was the best thing I've ever tasted," he tells her sincerely. "Well actually, now thinking about it, I would have to say it's the second best thing I've ever tasted." With a glint in his eyes, he removes his hand from her neck, and lets it travel down the valley of her breasts, drifting softly down her belly until it stops at her underwear. As he leans down to give her a searing kiss, he runs his fingers teasingly along the lips of her covered pussy.

"You need –" she lets out a raspy gasp and tries to ignore the excited jolt in her belly. "You need to finish looking at the book," she murmurs against his lips. "Please."

He breaks away with a feral grin, "This isn't over Mrs Mellark," he promises, and lets her go. He moves his attention back down to the book and continues opening page after page.

 _Do you remember the day when Haymitch was trying to round up his geese that had fled to the meadow and he slipped and went tumbling down the hill? It was our first real laugh._

 _Do you remember the day you swam the whole length of the lake by yourself? I was so proud._

 _Do you remember when the blizzard hit and we sat in front of the fire in silence holding hands? We were at peace._

 _Do you remember the first time we made love? It was real._

Peeta looks up at her and she can see his eyes starting to water. "This is such a wonderful idea," he murmurs. "We've been blessed with so many great memories."

She nods and starts to feel her own eyes well up. "It's not finished yet. Keep going," she chokes out.

He continues turning more of the pages. One after another of more happy memories of their lives together resurface and greet them like an old friend.

 _Do you remember the day I proposed to you? I've never seen you so happy._

"That was the happiest moment of my life," he whispers.

Katniss nods again and she feels a stray tear run down her cheek. It's now the moment of truth. The last page. The reason why she made this memory book for him in the first place. "One more page, Peeta."

He turns the page, and there's silence for a moment. He looks up at her, confusion settling in his eyes before they turn wide as saucers and he lets out a surprised gasp. "Is this real?"

She nods, confirming what he's read. "It's very real."

He looks back down, continuing to stare at the black letters that make up a sentence she knew he never thought he would read or hear for himself. But one he's always hoped for.

 _Do you remember the day I told you that you were going to be a father?_

He breaks his gaze from the page and looks up at her with wonder and awe. "You're pregnant? We're having a baby?"

"We're having a baby," she confirms, grinning.

"Oh my god, Katniss." He reaches for her, pulling her to sit on his lap. Very slowly, like he's trying to capture every moment to store away in his brain for later, he lowers one hand down to gently place it upon her still flat stomach. He spreads his fingers wide, as though he can touch every inch of her soft skin. She feels so much wonder and love radiating from him as he leans down and offers her the kindest and sweetest kiss they've ever shared. He opens his mouth, seeking her tongue, and they move together, fusing as one, before they break apart slowly. "This is truly the best birthday present I've ever received."

"So would you say this is your favorite book now? She asks quietly, her tone teasing. "Is it up there with your cookbooks?"

He laughs. "This book has surpassed all my cookbooks. It's so far ahead, that those books and every other book I will ever possess in my life are now dust in its wake."

She lets out a watery laugh and he grins back at her. She feels the warmth coming from his palm as his fingers start rubbing affectionate circles against her belly. "I know we planned this, but I need to know. Are you alright with this?" He asks her carefully.

She moves her hand down to join his. "I won't lie, I freaked out for about a day or two," she confides. "But as I let the news sink in and I thought of you and of us, together, I didn't feel so scared anymore."

The relief on Peeta's face at her words is clear.

"I thought about how I could break the news to you and then this idea popped into my head. It's actually been quite therapeutic for me, like our other memory book," she says, taking his hand off her belly and interlocking their fingers together. "Just thinking about all the memories I have since coming back, I realised that a lot of the time I focus too much on the painful ones," she reveals quietly. "But you know what? We've come such a long way since then. And you're right – we have so many happy memories and we have each other. Always."

Peeta gazes at her in awe. "Our baby is so blessed to have you as her mother."

"And our baby is so blessed to have _you_ as its father," she repeats back, squeezing his hand in assurance before pausing. "Wait, did you just say _her_?"

He shrugs his shoulders and laughs. "It's just a feeling I have," he replies, and leans back down to kiss her again. Slowly he helps lower her down, so she's lying on her back and he's hovering over her. "Right now though, I do have another feeling I was wondering you could help me with?"

"Hmm, what do you have in mind?" She murmurs against his lips and places her arms around his neck, encouraging him to lay down on top of her.

"I want to make love to my pregnant wife," he tells her huskily and begins moving his hips eagerly against hers, his erection getting harder by the second. "Will you allow it?"

Pushing her hips upwards to join in on his ministrations, she moves her mouth to his ear and whispers hotly, "I'll allow it."


	2. The Lake

This was my very first drabble that I wrote. I was nominated on tumblr by TitaniaFics to write a drabble with the beginning sentence "Come on, give me one good reason not to jump in the lake."

It is unbetaed - all mistakes are mine.

* * *

"Come on, give me one good reason not to jump in the lake," Peeta calls out, standing on the edge of the dock.

"I can give you several reasons," Katniss yells back in exasperation. She's currently standing beside their car, with her arms folded across her chest. "It's dark, the water will be freezing and you don't know how to swim."

"That's just a technicality - besides it's not that deep," he defends protruding his head out over the dock to look into the dark and murky water. "Come on where's your sense of adventure?" He asks playfully looking back at her.

"It's still sitting in your mother's house, along with my dignity," she tells him dryly as she starts walking towards him.

Peeta sighs in knowing frustration. "You know what my mother's like. She's an angry and twisted woman - and that was before my father left her."

"Yeah lucky us," she shares sarcastically. "While your father is living it up with some 30 year old mail order bride, we're stuck here with the unpleasant and enhanced version of the bitter witch," she spits out in annoyance.

As Katniss reaches his side they both look out over the lake without a word, just letting the horrible events that happened earlier in the evening sink in. They both love coming here and it's been that way since they were children. In fact that's how they met, right here on this dock. Both were trying to escape from the misery and pressure from their dysfunctional families. They eventually became a safe haven for each other, a place where they didn't have to be afraid and they could be themselves. They protected each other and still do.

Right now, the lake looks peaceful in the darkness with the quietness and the moonlight bouncing off the water like it's filled with shimmering diamonds. Katniss feels Peeta move his body behind hers and gently wrap his strong and muscular arms around her, his chin rests softly on her shoulder. As she feels his warm breath on her neck and the rise and fall of his chest she begins to relax.

"I'm sorry about what my mother said to you," he murmurs against her skin. "You don't have to worry, we won't be seeing her again.

Katniss moves her head to the side to look at him, she raises her eyebrows in doubt.

"I mean it," he assures her, his voice determined and strong. "I won't let her speak to us that way anymore."

"She's still your mother."

Peeta gently tucks a piece of hair that's fallen out of her braid behind her ear. "She's a woman who gave birth to me – she's not a mother. But you –" he reaches down and places his hand under her shirt and splays it across her lower belly gently. Love and admiration reflect off his face as his bright eyes gaze into hers. "You will be a loving and wonderful mother. Our child is lucky to have you.

Katniss feels a stray tear roll down her face as she stares at him intently. Peeta gives her a caring smile and wipes away the tear with a calloused thumb. "I won't let her toxic character and her poisonous words be a part of our lives anymore – especially with this little one coming," he affirms.

Katniss nods her head and pulls out of his arms. Walking backwards a few steps she begins to take off her jacket and slip out of her shoes.

"What are you doing?" Peeta asks in surprise.

"We're going to celebrate our newfound freedom from your mother," she tells him.

Peeta looks at her confusingly. "How?"

"Do you trust me, Peeta?" She asks him, holding out her hand.

"Always," Peeta responds automatically.

Katniss gives him a playful smile. "Then take off your jacket and your shoes and come jump in the lake with me."

With a mischievous grin Peeta quickly takes off his jacket and shoes and reaches for Katniss' hand. Stepping up to the edge of the dock they turn to look at each other in excitement.

"Together?" Katniss asks

"Together," Peeta repeats back.

Holding on tightly they take a leap, breaking the surface of the water in love and triumph.


	3. The Mellark Effect

_I wrote this Sprinter!Peeta drabble for the Olympic Gauntlet that was being hosted by The Quill Circle on tumblr._

 _I was inspired by athlete Derek Redmond and what happened at his games in Barcelona in 1992. I was quite moved and decided to Everlark it. Please note I don't know anything about this sport._

 _Thank you to Sponsormusings for being a wonderful beta and your helpful advice._

* * *

 _It's a perfect day for a race_ , Peeta thinks, straightening up from his routine stretching exercises and waving at the crowd. The excitement from the thousands of fans and spectators in the over-packed stadium is contagious; their loud cheering, the chanting of his name, not to mention the t-shirts he's seen some of the woman wearing: _'Run, Peeta, Run…straight into my arms,'_ and _'Mellark is going to make you sweat,_ ' makes him blush and laugh in amusement. He has to thank his older brother for this type of unwanted attention – his online t-shirt business really took off since he started using Peeta's image. It's embarrassing, but it all brings warmth to his heart and a shy smile to his face. There's so much positive energy flowing his way that he can't help but use it to motivate and psych himself up in order to prepare for the most important event of his life – the men's 400 metre final. _This is your race - that gold medal is yours._

He's been a sprinter for as long as he can remember; as a child running around his district for fun and later in his teens as a stress reliever. Now after years of intense training and sacrifices in his personal life, he's finally made it to the Capitol, representing his home, District 12, in the _Panem Olympic Games_. It's a moment he's dreamed about for a long time and is ecstatic to finally share this special moment with his loved ones, who he knows are amongst the throes of people somewhere to his right in the stands. He smooths a hand down the side of his lycra shorts, stopping when he feels the small round shape of his lucky charm that's kept safely hidden in a built-in pocket. His pearl, and he doesn't race anywhere without it.

As the booming voice of the event's commentator, Caesar Flickerman, announces over the loudspeaker that the race is about to begin, the Olympic officials signal for all the district sprinters to get into position. Peeta crouches down into his pre-assigned lane, number 8, flexing his fingers against the ground. _You've got this – it doesn't matter that you aren't in the centre lane - you won the semi-final yesterday and posted the fastest time. This is what you've trained for._ He puts his first leg on the starting block and he swears he can hear his father yelling out over the crowd, "You've got this, Peeta!"

With that extra validation and support, a cool, calm determination sets in his eyes. This race is going to make him; he can feel it in his bones. He gets comfortable in his stance, taking no notice of his competitors, who are staggered and spread about across the running track. It's just him and his lane and he's just going for a run - something he does every day. His face and body relax, and all the tension melts away as he waits for the fated signal.

"On your marks!" The loud voice commands.

Peeta inhales deeply, eyes focused.

"Set!"

He exhales and his body braces itself, ready to go.

"BANG!" The starter's gun fires into the air.

In an instant Peeta uses both his feet to push off, aiming for the maximum force he can muster as his body leans forward and quickly moves into an upright position. He sprints with all his heart and soul, his legs moving like they've got a mind of their own. As he progresses along the track, reaching the 150 metre mark, he passes the representatives of districts 1 and 2, who've been his main competitors since the games started. Peeta has always tried to show good sportsmanship to his fellow racers, but Marvel and Cato have only shown him contempt and intimidation since he first arrived in the Olympic Village. He's come across these type of people his whole life – his mother included – and they don't faze him anymore.

He continues to sprint, making sure he doesn't get too far ahead of the group, but just enough that he's got momentum. He sticks to the speed he knows his body can endure for a long period of time – until it comes to the last 50 metres, where he plans to accelerate his speed and come out in front. He feels a cool breeze sweep across his sweaty face and the exciting cheers from the crowd break through his zone, but he uses their energy to keep his spirits up – and that's when it happens.

Suddenly and without warning. The unthinkable. One of the worst things that could happen to a professional athlete during the final of their Olympic event.

It's at the 250 metre mark that Peeta hears a snapping sound and a searing pain run up the back of his right thigh. It immediately stops him in his tracks and he falls to the ground, hissing through his teeth and holding the back of his knee. He sits there for a moment in shock, not quite believing what's happened. He ignores the screams from the crowd and gets back up onto his feet, trying not to notice the last couple of competitors running past him. _I can still do this._ He looks forward, trying to get his head back into the race. He sets off with a gentle jog, but immediately has to stop again - the pain from the back of his knee is overwhelming and he can't block it out no matter how hard he tries. Tears of agony and frustration well in his eyes as he tries to move forward, but all he can manage is a few steps of hobbling. Through his blurry vision he can make out dozens of reporters sitting on the sidelines with their cameras and flashes pointing directly at him, capturing his moment of absolute heartbreak.

It's then, through shock and pain and the blood pounding in his ears that he hears _her_ voice, shining through the dark clouds, and it's getting closer.

"Let me through! Let go of me! That's my _husband_!"

And then he feels her at his side, her braid whipping his cheek in her rush to get to him; her arm finds its way around his waist to support his weight, while her other hand clasps his outstretched one in a strong and steady grip. "I'm here, Peeta."

"Oh, Katniss," he cries out, burrowing his head into her neck. He can no longer stop the tears from falling down his cheeks. Everything they'd worked so hard for; the years of training, the sacrifices and putting their lives and their family plans on hold so he could accomplish his Olympic dream were all now for nothing. His body aches and his heart feels heavy. Melancholy runs deep and fills every pore; he swears his skin is weeping tears instead of sweat. "This was my race," he chokes out in anguish.

"It's okay, Peeta," she whispers. But he can tell by the emotional crack in her voice that she's trying to keep it together and be strong for him. He knows this means as much to her as it does to him. "This can still be your race," she reassures him.

He shakes his head, and puts a trembling hand over his face, too overwhelmed by grief. After a few supportive steps, he feels Katniss' hand leave his waist and a snarl come out of her mouth, directed to somebody nearby. "Don't touch him, go away – he's finishing his race."

Her hand finds its way back around his waist and he feels her breath fan across his cheek. "Come on, Peeta," she says, her voice now filled with purpose. "We can do this together. Let's finish what you started."

He lifts his head from his hand and catches sight of her necklace and the attached pearl that's identical to his, resting against the soft swell of her chest. By chance they had come across two pearls in a single oyster when they were vacationing off the coast of Panem a few years ago; it was a rare and unique find and one that had always brought them good luck in the time since. He looks into her steely, determined eyes and sees understanding and love reflected back. He's never given up on a race before, not in his entire life, even when it seemed hopeless – and he's not about to start now. Taking a deep breath, he nods his head and a new sense of resolve settles in his bones, stretching out to every muscle and fibre of his being. The pain in his leg radiates up and down in continuous waves, but he just concentrates on her, giving a small and grateful smile. "Together?"

"Together," she nods.

He feels her take on more of his weight as he limps and moves, finally reaching the last 20 metre mark. The crowd is getting louder and more boisterous as they inch closer and closer to the finish line. A television camera crew follows alongside them, but he ignores them, using all his strength and concentration to work through the pain and reach his goal. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Katniss giving the reporters a scowl. He can just imagine the list of inappropriate words she's holding back, thanks to being on live television. District 12's publicist, Effie, would be proud.

He's almost there – that sweet finish line that's always been thrilling and torturous to reach. In every race he's ever competed in, since the age of 10, he doesn't think he's ever been more grateful to see and step across this one than he does now. And when he does, the crowd goes wild; jumping, cheering, stamping their feet, thunderously applauding. Peeta is completely overcome with emotion – he doesn't know whether to cry because for now his Olympic dream is over or be relieved that no matter what obstacle befell upon him he was still able to cross that finish line. The one thing he does know for sure is that he's never been more in love with his wife, than right at this moment. She seals his thoughts with a kiss and a whisper of, "I'm so proud of you."

In the end, although Peeta Mellark didn't win the race he'd trained so hard for, the race _had_ become his. It became the highlight of his career and a memorable moment in the history of the Olympics. It inspired people to never give up, even if the odds are not in your favor. That humility and the goodness of the human spirit will always win out. Peeta and Katniss Mellark became a symbol of hope and perseverance – and as the years went by, their story eventually became known as _The Mellark Effect_.


	4. The Blind Set Up

Written for the D12 drabbles blog on tumblr. Thank you Sponsormusings for your excellent beta work.

The Blind Set Up

"Ow! Why did you do that for?"

"You stole my seat," Finnick replies simply.

Katniss looks up at him ludicrously and rubs her ear. "So that was enough to flick my ear?" She waves her hand over to the couch diagonally across from her. "There's a spot next to Peeta."

"My apartment, my chair. It's not my problem you got here late and missed the memo _stealing beauty_ ," he smirks. "You go sit next to Peeta, there's plenty of room."

She looks over to the two-seater couch that Peeta Mellark is currently sitting on. He's trying to look inconspicuous, by staring absently at everything in the room except for them, but it's clear he's heard their entire exchange, thanks to the crimson shade his face has now turned.

She rises slightly and leans in closer to Finnick. "But I don't know Peeta," she whispers.

Finnick lets out a scoff and rolls his eyes. "You've met him three times, he won't bite." Putting on his brightest smile, his eyes sparkling in amusement, he looks over and calls out, "Hey, Peet, you don't mind if Katniss joins you on the couch, do you?"

Katniss shoots him the biggest scowl she can muster, it doesn't matter that he's not looking at her and can't even see it. _You're a dead man, Finnick!_

"No, of course not," Peeta replies back eagerly and moves over to make more room for her. He needn't have bothered as he was already sitting on one couch cushion, but now with his overzealous shuffling he's given her enough space that three people could fit. She hesitantly sits down next to him, making sure there's still a generous amount of space between them. She doesn't know Peeta all that well, but for some reason whenever he attends Finnick and Annie's social events, she always feels nervous and tongue-tied – and it doesn't help that with his broad shoulders, blonde hair and ocean blue eyes, he's the most gorgeous man she's ever seen.

"Hey Annie, we're about to start the first movie," Finnick calls out to the adjoining kitchen. He sits down in his chair, reclines it back and crosses his arms behind his head with an exaggerated sigh. Catching Katniss' gaze, he gives her a wink.

She gives him another scowl and turns away, staring at the blank television screen.

"So, how have you been, Katniss?" Peeta asks. His voice comes out hoarse and he lets out a quick cough to clear it. "I didn't see you at the catch up last weekend."

"Oh, umm, my sister was in town…so I caught up with her," she explains, avoiding eye contact. She can feel her heart starting to race and her palms begin to sweat as she senses him move closer to her.

"I didn't know you had a sister - that's cool. So what did you two get up to?"

Lifting her head up, she looks into his eyes – the beautiful swirl of crystal blue that begins to hypnotise and bring her under his spell. "Oh um…we…um…" she starts to stutter and quickly tears her gaze away to stare down at her fingers, hoping that if she's not staring into his eyes, she might be able to have a proper conversation with him.

"You'll have to forgive her, Peet," Finnick cuts in smartly. "Our poor Katniss here doesn't know how to act like a normal human being in any given social situation. She's as charming as a dead slug," Finnick teases.

Feeling mortified, Katniss feels her face go red and her eyes turn deadly. Lifting her head to stare at Finnick, she wonders if she can kill someone, bring them back to life and then kill them all over again.

"Be nice Finnick," Annie smiles, walking into the living room and placing a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table in front of them. "You two can share," she says with a wink. "Oh, and there's a blanket behind you if you both get cold."

 _Why would we even share a blanket?_ Katniss thinks in confusion and she turns to Peeta, who gives her a nervous smile, his cheeks flushing as he does so.

"So let's start," Finnick says, getting up from his seat and walking over to the Blu-ray player. "The movie theme for tonight is… " He stops for a dramatic pause. "90's horror!" He picks up a DVD that says _Wes Craven's Scream._

"What?!" Katniss cries out. "You told me this morning it was going to be romantic comedies from the 80's."

"Sorry, I changed it," he replies smoothly and pops the disc into the player. Katniss recognises his tone and knows he's not sorry at all. She sighs in defeat as the copyright messages begin to appear and light up the screen. Something strange is going on here and she can't quite put her finger on it – Annie's out of character wink, not to mention Finnick's unusual and sudden obsession with that chair and making her sit next to Peeta. She's been to plenty of movie nights at the Odair's, and not once has Finnick ever told her to move seats. It was only just three weeks ago, at their last movie night that she'd been sitting in that chair and no one had questioned it or made a ridiculous claim on it. She leans over and grabs the bowl of popcorn; maybe she can avoid watching the movie by just staring at the endless number of kernels all night – boring and tedious, yes, but at least popcorn won't bring about the nightmares.

"You don't like horror movies?" Peeta asks gently.

She doesn't want to reveal too much to him because that means talking about her past and now is not the time or place for that. She shrugs her shoulders in fake indifference. "They're just not my thing."

"I'm sure we can watch something else. Hey Finn –"

"No! The movie is already in," Finnick cuts him off, knowing exactly what he was going to ask, and then winks. "Trust me, Peet, I know what I'm doing."

 _This is getting absurd,_ Katniss thinks. _What's with all the winking_? She tilts her head slightly and sees that Peeta is shaking his head at Finnick, his mouth pressed into a firm line.

As the movie begins and they watch Drew Barrymore's character start to get harassing phone calls, Katniss pulls the blanket off the back of the couch and wraps it around her legs and waist to protect herself from the sudden cold. Awkwardly, she offers some to Peeta, and he gives her a small smile, one that almost looks apologetic. "I'm fine, thanks. You can have it," he tells her, pulling one of the blanket edges around to wrap her more securely. She's taken back by the kind gesture, but decides not to think about it and returns her attention back to the screen.

As the movie goes on she feels herself snuggling into the blanket more; she doesn't know if the temperature in the room is dropping or if seeing more of Ghost Face killing his victims is giving her the chills. She's never felt more uncomfortable in her life – watching a genre she hates and still feeling a bit awkward sitting in close proximity to Peeta. He sneaks glances at her every now and again and when their eyes meet he gives her a sweet smile. On the last one he shoots her way, she feels butterflies flutter around in her belly; she can't help but give him a small smile in return. Feeling self-conscious at her response, she quickly turns back around to face the screen, but it's at the wrong time; it's right at the moment that Ghost Face jumps out into the screen. The surprising action makes Katniss gasp loudly and she reaches for Peeta's hand, gripping it tightly.

Startled by her behaviour she tries to move it away, but Peeta is quick and takes a hold of her hand again, linking their fingers together. She feels a spark shoot up her arm and a feeling of warmth radiating all over her body – it feels comforting and safe. Staring at his hand in the semi darkness, she's mesmerised by every line along his skin and the feel of his calloused thumb against hers. Filled with nerves, she lifts her head, and he smiles at her reassuringly -he tugs her closer to his body, her small frame moving willingly. Their clasped hands rest on his upper thigh and she's soothed by his thumb rubbing small gentle circles on her hand. She's surprised to discover that the nerves have fled, and any previous defences or reservations she had are now melting away. She gently rests her head on his shoulder and she swears she hears his breath hitch, followed by a contented sigh.

For the rest of the night, she doesn't pay any attention to the other horror movies playing – all her senses are focused on Peeta and her fascination in watching his chest rise and fall with every breath. During the last movie of the night she feels her eyelids begin to droop, the smell of cinnamon and dill pulling her under towards sleep. She opens her eyes slightly for the last time and swears she sees Finnick and Annie grinning over at them, Finnick whispering, "I told you I knew what I was doing."

She doesn't think about his words, she just gives in to sleep, because here it's safe and here it's warm.


End file.
